Erasure
by Trevor X
Summary: Entry for fe-contest special challenge. "These new recruits intrigued him; after all, it wasn't normal for the entire army to abandon the field just to fawn over a pretty face." Warning: Mary Sue challenge.


Forgive the terrible writing for this.

_There was something -off- about them._

Ever since they'd joined the company, Mark had sensed an otherworldliness to their presence. They were perfect in form, conversation and combat. In a way, they reminded him of morphs, though even that explanation failed to explain away all the little nuances... No morph that had yet been encountered had mastery of both weapons _and_ magic.

Too, none of the morphs waltzed around in glitzy clothing or conversed easily with each and every member of the army. They were charming in the way that a child can be charming... which is to say they managed to get their way in well nigh everything.

_How had they managed to get their lodgings with the nobles anyway?_

As the tactical advisor for the motley collection of soldiers that they jokingly called an army, Mark didn't generally concern himself with the hiring of additional bodies. The Lords Hector and Eliwood (and to some extent, Lady Lyndis) held the purse strings for the company and could disburse of such funds as they found necessary. Though he was extremely cautious of Hector's decisions after said lord disposed of twenty-thousand to hire a single mercenary; Mark had gotten Matthew's help to siphon off some of the excess loot that they found in enemy encampments and converted it into gems that would be proof against the big idiot bankrupting the force in his gullibility.

In this case, the recruits had been unusual enough to spark his interest. After all, no one else had prompted the entire army to vacate a carefully planned battlefield to swarm around them like lovestruck fools. It had taken hours to divine the enemy's plans, hours that had carefully prepared the day in order to keep as much of their force together in the face of a superior foe and not only keep them together, but provide enough of an edge for them to crush the enemy.

Of course, the newcomers had to swoop in and save the day, in such a spectacular fashion that the two defeated the bulk of the opposing army with only token assistance from the lords. With such a display, it was obvious that they would be recruited into the army. And despite the token protests that the duo offered, Mark could see the calculated greed behind their eyes as the offer was made.

They joined.

Things went downhill from there. Carefully laid plans were disrupted if _he_ didn't get enough time in the spotlight, enemies streamed away from logical objectives to die upon _her _blade. Steady hands dropped weapons, career soldiers made amateurish mistakes, and the lords made ridiculous charges into the heart of the enemy against all calls to heed reason.

Each and every time, _they_ were there to shine and deliver. With blade and magic, they slaughtered the foes and saved the army. Their grace, strength and skill shone in the light of the sun or moon.

Horrified by the steady stream of coincidences, Mark hired Matthew to look into the pair of newcomers and learned an interesting fact: Matthew couldn't hide and observe them. Somehow they knew where anyone who spied on them covertly was hiding.

The resulting report was less than stellar- Mark suspected that _she_ had something to do with that fact. _She_ had plucked up the thief as soon as he'd left the tactician's tent. And the smile that _she _threw back in his direction as he stood in the doorway looking out at them... _They knew._

It darkened his spirits, but still Mark persevered. He made battle plans that would be obsolete as soon as the battle commenced, he exhorted the lords to exercise more caution, and he left the pair to their devices. Whatever power of luck and charm that they wielded, it was more than a mere nameless commoner could deal with.

_Things came to a head after the battle at the Dragon's Gate._

When they entered the tent together, Mark knew that some conclusion had been reached somewhere. That they both held weapons ready as they entered told him what sort of conclusion he could expect. This wasn't a friendly visit.

"So it comes down to murdering me, I suppose." Bitterly Mark regarded the two cherubic figures in front of him who merely smiled in reply to his bold statement. "What plot of yours have I impeded?"

_He_ laughed- a cruel sound despite it's gaiety. "Impede? You are nothing. In a moment, you will be less than nothing."

_She _smiled and lifted her blade, contemplating the light playing on the sharp edge of the metal. "No one watching this cares about you anyways and when you're gone, the rest of the army will forget you even existed. It's not like you were ever _important _or anything."

As the blades descended on him, Mark decided that they were probably correct. That didn't make his demise any less painful, however.

"Are you gonna be 'Mark' this time, or should I do it?"

_She laughs_. "And conceal my body under that horrid cloak? I think not!"

"Fine- I'll do it then. But you gotta make sure that I get Lyn first this time. Don't be selfish and hog her to yourself like you did last time."

_The End..._


End file.
